Fitness Products & Trends

This year, Bonnie and I merged our blog site together with a new focus – fitness, food and faith. Together, we share our life. We share our victories and our failures. We share our life lessons (learned both the easy way and hard way), fitness tips, favorite recipes, workouts, marriage, helpful products, motivation, encouragement and important information we feel will help you reach your goals. Occasionally, she lets me put in my 2 cents. lol! This is one of those times!

I realize many people reading this blog may not have even been around in 1984. Though I may not tell you my age, let it suffice that I was very alive. Arguably, not a completely productive member of society (as you can see here in this picture!!), however I was a freshman in high school.

Madonna was crushing the charts with “Like a Virgin”, the space shuttle Challenger was orbiting the earth, Ronald Reagan was President and the movie “Footloose” was a huge hit. But to a pubescent high school kid, the only thing I could think of, even at that age, was getting swole. That’s right… pumping iron.

I had just joined the wrestling team, had my first kiss, and bought my first Miami Vice jacket. This quest for muscle and girls quickly fostered and interest into nutrition – and reading the magazines bragging of the huge bodybyuiliders of the 80’s. Guys like Chris Dickerson, Tom Platz, Sergio Oliva, and Lee Haney were the real live incredible hulks – and all of us boys wanted to know what was #Behindthemuscle .

Despite Reagan, and Madonna, and who cared about some cute kids dancing in a barn, what mattered most in 1984 was what Hal and Ernie did with a cement mixer in the name of science. Nature’s Best (the makers of IsoPure) was born. Oh the scandalous world of protein that still exists some 30 years later.

Even as a 14 year old I knew better than to assume that all protein was created equal. Truth be known, as soon as I got my first job I spent tons of money on all kinds of supplements. Whatever the “magazines” said, I took as scripture. I couldn’t have been more wrong. As these companies began to be regulated it was amazing how many were at fault for false claims, either about the efficacy, filtration process, quality or even the amounts of their claims of protein and results they could produce. Even in the 80’s there was a clear battle for reputable and effective protein that would bring a high school student, making $3.35 an hour at Burger King flipping burgers to spend his entire paycheck just to gain a pound or two of muscle.

Fast forward 30 years, and Nature’s Best IsoPure‘s Whey Protein Isolate is still one of the most effective and coveted proteins on the market. Nature’s Best never sold out their principals, promising you steroid like results. They rely on the science of what quality protein provides for your body as it relates to lean mass and health.

They have some products that aid in enhancing performance by adding some electrolytes and adding BCAA’s to a profile that will help more elite training, and Nature’s Best still provides whey isolate that is pure and free from any additives. Of course it is up to us, as athletes, to study what products best serve what types of training, as well as learn optimal times to take protein supplements. As we research, we realize the science behind the protein as it relates to filtration methods and efficacy and absorption. Knowing how and when to pair these products to our training and meals is as important as the protein itself.

I enjoy the whey isolate with oatmeal in the mornings, or added to my post workout shake. IsoPure allows for me to be able to control the additives and limit unwanted calories or supplements in my foods. One of the best tasting Isopure products on the market is the “Cocotein” coconut water 100% whey isololate. 100 calories for 20 grms of whey protein. Does it get any better than this?

If not in my oatmeal or shake, the isolate powder is versatile enough to add to an omelet or any pancake mix allowing me to adjust the protein ratios of almost any foods. I’m not just bragging about Isopure, I have been a customer for over 20 years and have never been disappointed, except when I am running low on supplies and have to rely on a less than reputable supplement. If I am not going to compromise my workouts, I want a supplement that isn’t going to compromise quality. Thanks again Hal and Ernie!! Great job, from a loyal customer.

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If you follow me on instagram, you might have seen a bunch of pictures of me in this wild jacket. Florida peeps are not used to cold weather, and I sure was thankful that I took this jacket with me to New Jersey for my mom’s Ms. Senior America pageant because I sure wore the heck out of it.

When I was shopping online and trying to narrow down my choices, my husband wasn’t too keen on this particular piece – but I HAD to have it. Something was just drawing me to it. It looked like a cool cut, and it would dress up any black workout shorts, capris or tights. Then, when I got it and liked it even more – and Steve was so glad I got it because he loved it too!

I zipped the jacket all the way up to keep my neck warm, layering it over a thin long sleeve shirt on a very windy brisk day in D.C. I used it as a shirt under another jacket to go shopping. It was thin enough that it easily fit in my purse when I didn’t need it. Of course i also wore it to the gym, but it was comfy enough to wear it on a 7 hour road trip too. I got a ton of compliments on it every where I went!

Get 20% OFF with the discount code: 20TLF002

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A few weeks ago, I featured the Home-Gym-Home Fivesse Bag on my blog, showing off this purse-size bag I toted across 8 states on a fun journey to Ms. Senior America. This week, I’m featuring the other Fivesse bag I took on the trip – the Home-Gym-Work bag.

This bag is much bigger than the Home-Gym-Home bag. The Home-Gym-Work bag has a ton of pockets (each labeled with cute pictures so you know exactly which each pocket was designed for) and has a place for everything you need to get ready at the gym – or on the road. This is also the bag I take with me on every weekend getaway – including our Thanksgiving vacation this weekend.

To show how roomy this bag is, I decided to unpack it (minus my dirty clothes) and show you everything that was currently in my bag after my trip. I already pulled out 2 pairs of jeans and a few shirts (and another pair of shoes) but, as you can see here, I still had a LOT of stuff in this bag!

Here are all the cute labels to show you where everything is supposed to go. So original!

In My Fivesse Bag

Socks

Shoes

5 tanks

3 long sleeve shirts

3 bra tops

1 pair of workout tights

Laptop

Power supply

iPad

Phone chargers

Armpocket Armband for my iPhone

Headphones

2 brushes

Hairdryer

Make up bag

2 cans of hairspray

2 protein bars

Business cards

Body Lotion

Mouth wash

Curling iron

Beanie (to keep my Floridian noggin warm)

Ball Cap

3 pair fresh undies

and a partridge in a pear tree (OK, maybe not that) lol

ONE LUCKY GIRL

If you like this bag, FOLLOW the giveaway on Facebook or Instagram and post a comment on either of these posts: We will be giving away 2 50% OFF coupons (one on each page) so you can get this bag for half the regular cost!!

1st Challenge: Take a Hike!

Each week we will get a challenge to complete (follow #MotivationMondays and #FindYourFit to follow the challenge). This week’s challenge was “Take a Hike“. I don’t know about you and where you live, but there isn’t a lot of “hiking” here. There are no mountains, hills or parks to go “hiking” around – at least, not how I think of hiking. While there IS one trail called Jungle Trail, one town over, hiking isn’t something you think of when you think of Vero Beach.

On top of it, Monday for us was a crazy travel work-day for us Pfiesters. We were up at 5am, on the road by 7am to Boca Raton where we shoot our LiveExercise workout shows, then we had to fly back to train clients, teach kickboxing and teach BCx Shred Camp at our gym, Max Fitness Club. But, I still planned on getting my hike on despite my insane day! Did I mention I was also temporarily blind?

I’m going through a special contact fitting (created for hard-to-fit blink folks like me). This fitting requires me to wear a special contact lens (and I still have to wear glasses over them to see! That’s how blind I am! haha). Anyway, I have to wear these contacts for a few days to help the doctor (Dr. Joyce Desrosiers of the Eye Clinic of Vero) measure my eye. So, not only did I not have an ideal path, I can’t even really see a path at all. Ha! So, instead of sitting on the couch in the office waiting for Steve’s show to end, staring into space, I was on a mission to prove to everyone you can have all the excuses in the world and still choose not to use one of them. So, in between shows, I decided to hike my semi-blind self through Boca’s industrial area.

To my surprise, I actually had a lot of fun exploring through parking lots, loading docs, sidewalks, breezeways and side streets – and even found a pretty lake-veiw spot to sit and relax a bit.

Even when your day is busy, even when your circumstances are not ideal, you can still #FindYourFit!

FindYourFit

Here are a few pics from my city hike! lol

4 Ways to Find Your Fit

1. Don’t be afraid to walk in circles. Before I decided to walk through the entire industrial plaza on the street where our studio was, I first decided I’d just walk around the building. Even if I had to do 20 laps, I would still get some steps in, burn some calories and find my fit. I think many people are looking for the ideal path, not just any path. To #FindYourFit, you have to improvise.

2. 10 minutes is ok. When it comes to exercising the heart and lunges, exercising for only 10 minutes at a time is effective. Don’t feel like you have to have a whole hour to workout. While your co-worker takes their 10 minute smoke break, take a 10 minute walk break! You’ll come back more refreshed and alert than your nicotine-filled friend.

3. Make the most of the time you have. If you are limited on time, incorporate HIIT (High Intensity Hit Training) into your walk. You can set your Fitbit Charge to cue you every minute (or desired time). Rotate between a run and a walk, or a sprint and a jog, to burn more calories and take your cardiovascular training up a notch.

4. Walk a mile without leaving. There are other ways to take steps without even leaving your house or office. Butt-kicks (jogging in place), jump rope, high marches and jumping jacks can help you get your steps in even if you can’t step out. Here’s an example of a workout you can do with nothing but your bodyweight and a jumprope to get increase your steps and #findyourfit!

3 sets for time
20 Skaters (lunge from side to side, touching opposite hand to the lunging foot) 20 Butt-Kix 20 Squat Front-Kix (squat with alternating kicks) 20 Butt-Kix 20 Shuffle (quick switch) 20 Butt Kix Record your time at the end of the third round!

WIN A FITBIT CHARGE

Check out all the blogger’s pages (you can click on each blogger’s pic to see their blog) to see how they’re tackling the challenges and get your hands on your own new Fitbit Charge by entering our weekly sweepstakes below. Come back weekly to see which Coast is in the lead and to enter to win 1 of 4 new Fitbit Charges we’re handing out!

This post is sponsored by the Shape/Men’s Fitness FitBit Charge Challenge.

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Anyone who has worked out for any length of time realizes there are different seasons in the gym. Definitely not referring to Summer or Winter. The seasons I am talking about are “the lazy season”, “the lean up season”, “the bulk up season”, or even “the I’m on fire to workout season”.

If you are like me, one week you want to be bigger, then a week later you want to be more shredded. Then, maybe you get bored, then you just don’t care – only to see something that inspires you or motivates you to get back and “train like a freak”. For me, this is usually a picture of my fat face or brand new belly!

Whatever season you’re in, we all aspire to see or experience that “one thing” that organically creates a deep burning desire to be sold to get in shape once more. (Side note: the true desire to get fit has to be because you want the change for you, not to train for anyone else!)

“The Lazy Season”

Recently Bonnie, my wife, and I competed in a pretty large bodybuilding and physique event in Daytona Florida. We both were completely motivated to train and eat like a “Pharisee” for over 4 months. Our motivation never wavered. We were relentless in our pursuit of the goal laid before us. During the training we vowed to have tighter parameters of our weight and diet, making sure to maintain all of this hard work and higher level of fitness. But here I am, 2 Disney trips, 3 nights on the town, 1 week of company at our house, and 6 weeks later, disappointed and rather stale with my eating and training. We had the best intentions, we even set limits on our diet and I have definitely been training. So what happened?

Good intentions and even setting strict parameters are futile if left unchecked. Laziness quickly sets in. Arbitrary goals with no finish line are a sure way to fail. Our goals need to have a finite beginning and end that depicts some entity of time, and reward. Give your self a start line and a definite finish line that you CAN NOT continue to move every time you mess up. If you keep restarting your diet and training every Monday, it is probably because your finish line is as “wishy washy” as your efforts to get in shape.

“The Get Back on Track Season”

Even after establishing some goals, how do we get back (and stay motivated) to “train like a freak”?

1. New routine and exercises to facilitate the goals you established (bigger, stronger, faster). Sign up for another show, race, competition or event.
2. Get some food and supplements that will enhance training. New recipes and doing research on vitamins will help motivate you.
3. Grab some new music and make a sick playlist specific for each workout (cardio, arms, legs, ect…)
4. New gear… My favorite motivator. A new outfit from TLF Apparel, new shoes, gloves or straps, a new med ball, speed rope, kettle bell, did I mention a new outfit?

So whats the deal? Establishing the goals in a finite time is by far the most important, but making an investment into that goal is paramount. If every Monday you are starting over you need to feel a loss of your investment. It needs to cost you something when you mess up or quit. In order to look freaky good, you have to “train like a freak”.

Check out this gear I got from TLF (Train Like a Freak) apparel that got me back on track to train like a freak. Thanks TLF, you guys motivate me!!!

TLF Apparel – for men and women

I can wear this hoodie to the gym or I can throw it on with some jeans and go to a movie. It’s really that versatile – and yet it’s cozy as my most comfy pajamas, so I tend to throw it on when lounging around the house too. It’s definitely one of my favs. As much use as I get out of this, it’s worth the money. Price tag: $54.00. Available in grey or black.

TLF’s™ Infinity Longevity Shorts is made with Infi-Dry™ technology, these lightweight, moisture-wicking shorts provide you with comfort that will last throughout your entire workout or any sports activity. Price Tag: $44. Available in grey or black.

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As a blogger, I get an opportunity to try all kinds of fun fitness gear, accessories, devices and products. Every year I use my findings and share gift ideas for the fitness enthusiast (from my favorite products I’ve either found on my own or done a product review for). As I continue to discover new products, I will be adding to THIS page all through November and December. So, bookmark this page because it will be growing leading up to Christmas Day. Look for this Pfit Pfinds logo in blogs for more Christmas Gift Ideas.

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I’ve been in the fitness business for over 20 years (yes, I’m dating myself here!), and I have to say, I have not seen a lot of “pretty” gym bags in those 20 years.

Most gym bags are pretty sporty and look more like they belong on the football field than on a girl’s shoulder. I find a lot of gym bags are the colors of a sports team and less than girlie – not to mention, are very limited on storage pockets. A man must design them! Can I hear an Amen?! lol

This is a different generation. Today’s generation of gym rat looks a lot different than yesteryear. Fitness is not just for guys and girls who are into sports. Girls lift weights and train like athletes, but still enjoy wearing designer jeans and high heels. Fitness is a lifestyle and our gym bag is as important as our purse.

Finding the Perfect Bag

Shopping for a gym bag can be exhausting (unless you have a chick like me that shares their great finds with you. Wink wink!) If you are looking in a local sporting goods store, chances are, you are just going to find a good sports bag – and not have a lot of variety of style to choose from. If you go to a designer store, you might find a pretty bag, but it may not have all the functionality you need.

While everyone’s needs and tastes are different, I think a few things are probably pretty important to most women – however, I don’t think every shopper really thinks about what they want before they start looking. Instead, they just do an impulse buy, buying either what looks pretty on the outside, or what is a good deal.

Here are the 3 main features I look for when shopping for a new gym bag.

1. Pretty. Yes, pretty is important to me. I think I use a gym bag more than any purse I own, so I want to enjoy it. Who’s with me?

2. Functional. It HAS to be easy to use. If I have to fight with the straps, zippers, space, shape, etc, I won’t wear it. No “good deal” is worth even a little money if I waste it and don’t use it. I am looking for the PERFECT bag, not just any bag.

3. Practical. I look for a LOT of pockets – and the MORE the MERRIER! I need a place to put my water bottle, fresh clothes, dirty clothes/stinky shoes, phone, “purse stuff” (like lip gloss, wallet, keys), and a place to put my gym accessories (like headphones, ipod, straps, etc).

4. Durable. There are a few things that give out quickly with gym bags. Zippers break, the nylon frays, and the straps break. I don’t know how many gym bags my husband and I have gone through over the years (back when we got our gym bags at discount department stores and we never paid more than $39.99 for a bag). I have to admit, you get what you pay for. I am afraid to think of the money I’ve spent wasted on stuff (because it was a good deal) – but I never used, or it didn’t last. A gym bag really is an investment to people who really live the fitness lifestyle and rely on them. Durability is a must, and it’s OK to spend a little more on it if it lasts and you love it.

Introducing the Fivesse Home-Gym-Home Bag

I was so stoked to have the opportunity to do a product review on the Fivesse Home-Gym-Home Bag. By the looks of it, it was going to meet all 3 of the criteria I look for – and BOY, did they meet all my expectations and more!!

Here are all the things I loved about this bag:

1. It is stylish and pretty.Seriously, how many gym bags can you throw on your shoulder like a purse and wear with heels? I used this bag as my purse the entire time I was in Atlantic City with my mom for Ms. Senior America.

2. It has 10 separate compartments- all labeled so you know exactly what each pocket is designed for! There is the main compartment for your clothes and large items, a vented pocket for shoes or dirty clothes, a medium size internal zipper pocket for make-up and accessories, a pouch for headphones and ipod, a zipper pocket for jewelry, a pocket for sunglasses, an outside pocket for your phone, another pocket with elastic trim to hole your water bottle, a small outside velcro pocket for your gym membership card and a big side pocket (which also neatly hides the yoga straps when you aren’t using them). There is also a hook to put your keys on, so you don’t have to dig around in the bottom of your bag looking for keys! What more could a girl ask for?!

3. It is the perfect size. The Home-Gym-Home is the perfect size for me. I don’t need to pack a hair dryer and my entire dressing room since I’m just going from the home to the gym and back (hence the name of the bag!). They MADE this bag for people just like me! In my bag, I have a fresh set of clothes, ipad, headphones, iphone, iphone armband, hair ties, jacket, water bottle, wallet, sunglasses, iphone charger, note pad & pen (I do some of my best thinking at the gym! ha!), body spray, lotion and business cards – and still have TONS of room to spare!

4. It doubles as a great travel bag/purse!I didn’t plan this, but I ended up using this bag instead of my purse for my entire trip to New Jersey last month. I put my hotel key card where the gym membership card went and enjoyed all the pockets to use for my cameras, smart devices, umbrella and all the things I needed to travel with ease. This would be a GREAT bag to take on an airplane. Seriously, this bag couldn’t be more handy.

5. Is has great colors. The color combination of black, tan, cream and pink make this bag even more versatile. It looked great with all black, and it looked nice with tans and browns too. The pink softens it up so no one would ever know you are carrying a gym bag – and the pretty hounds tooth design sets it off beautifully, adding a perfect touch of class and design.

6. It comes with a cool little headphones organizer. The simple little disc (in the shape of their logo, pictured below) makes it easy to wrap your headphone chords up neatly so they don’t get tangled. I don’t know about you, but i used to spend a lot of time untangling my chords every time I did cardio. No More! What a nice little extra touch!!

MERRY PFITNESS

I love this bag so much, this bag is the FIRST to go on my Merry Pfitness Pfit Pfinds List. Look for this logo on any of my blogs for my personal recommendations of Christmas Gift Ideas for the fitness enthusiast.

Fivesse Give-A-Way

If you are interested in getting one of these beauties, I will be giving away a special 50% OFF COUPON to ONE lucky WINNER. Entering to win is easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Subscribe (if you aren’t already subscribed).

2. Share this blog on your social channels.

3. Comment below and tell us why you’d like to be the next proud owner of a Fivesse bag!

The winner will be selected randomly by a computer generated program so don’t worry, no “favorites” here. Stay tuned for the announcement of the winner (which I will post on the bottom of this blog when they are chosen).

A Video Tour of the Fivess Home-Gym-Home Bag

NOTE: This blog was sponsored by Fivesse. All opinions are honest and my own. I only partner with brands I truly love. I am happy to do product reviews, but please don’t ask me to blog about a junky product, unless you want a junky review). #justsaying

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As a fitness professional, I enjoy trying different diets and products so I can intelligently give feedback to our clients – and having an opportunity to try the Atkins Diet couldn’t come at a better time!

After a week entertaining house guests and another week in Atlantic City with my mom (for Ms. Senior Florida), all shortly after going to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, I am SO ready to put the Atkins diet to the test next week!

5 things I didn’t know about Adkins.

The truth is, I thought I had a grasp on the basics behind the Atkins Diet principles. However, the more I studied it, the more I realized how much misinformation is out there. Since you can eat fat on Atkins, I think many people are under the impression it’s an all-you-can-eat bacon and sausage kind of diet. A big surprise to me, someone on Atkins eats a lot like I do! Here are just a few things I’ve learned so far.

1. More Calories - The average amount of calories in an Atkins diet is 1,500-1,800 calories, which is 25% higher than a typical diet. The truth is, I normally average 1,400-1,600 calories a day when I’m dieting to lose weight. I only drop to 1,200 if I’m at a standstill or not losing as fast as I’d like. Most people should easily be able to lose weight eating 1,500-1,800 calories a day.

2. More Filling – Atkins frozen dinners are the same amount of calories I already budget per meal when dieting, which is around 350 calories. While you can get lower calorie meals, Atkins’ meals are high in protein and fat, and low in carbohydrates, so the meals will stick with you much longer than a standard frozen low calorie meal.

And don’t freak if you look at the fat in their snack bars. This bar has 10gms of fat, 16gms protein and only 19gms of carbs (only 3 net carbs). Again, because it does have more fat, this bar will keep you fuller longer.

3. More Healthy Fat - Atkins doesn’t just encourage dieters to eat fat, like many people may believe. Atkins encourages you to eat HEALTHY fats, like avocado, nuts, olive oil, Greek yogurt and dairy. I think a lot of people who don’t know much about Atkins think Atkins is all about steak, bacon, sausage and greasy food – I know, because I was one of them!! This is the Atkins pyramid, to give you a better idea of the structure of this diet.

4. More Vegetables - From day one, Atkins encourages the consumption of vegetables, recommending more servings than the USDA guidelines.

5. Atkins is 100% FREE – there is no cost to do the program. Atkins offers an online community, resource center, recipes, tools and meal plans at Atkins.com. You can get some of their yummy bars, snacks and food in stores and online. Click HERE to learn more.

As I was typing this, Steve just text me this text. That stinker dove into MY Atkins bars! I have a feeling we’ll both be doing Atkins next week!!! I better go stock up! haha

Why It Works

Here is a great page on more common Truths & Myths (and, again, I admit I believed some of those myths myself!). I am always learning!

Did You Know?

A low-fat diet is almost always a high-carb diet. When these carbs are low-fiber, the body becomes most vulnerable to blood sugar highs and lows that leave a person hungry and low on energy.

The Atkins Diet is designed to “flip the body’s metabolic switch” from burning carbs to burning fat. Graduated carb introduction helps avoid blood sugar and insulin spikes, which cause hunger and cravings.

When eaten in large amounts, carbohydrate (not fat, not protein) is the macronutrient responsible for raising blood levels of saturated fat and triglycerides.

Excess carbohydrate consumption is responsible for raising triglycerides and lowering “good” (HDL) cholesterol. Have you seen Fat Head? OMG! So interesting!!

Atkins improves cholesterol profiles and blood sugar levels, as well as other health markers. Following a low-carb lifestyle can also reverse metabolic syndrome and even slow down the progression Type 2 diabetes.

Atkins is the weight loss plan of choice for the millions of people who have a reduced ability to process carbohydrates – those who have varying levels of “carbohydrate intolerance.”

The Atkins Diet is backed by more than 80 independent, published, peer-reviewed studies conducted over the past several decades. Recently published medical journal articles that reinforce the unsurpassed effectiveness of the Atkins low-carb approach have appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association, New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine and Lancet.

Get Connected

Follow Atkins to get more tips, facts, news and motivation.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AtkinsDiet

Twitter: https://twitter.com/atkinsinsider

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/atkinsinsider/

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Atkins.

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So many people don’t understand what Fat Burners really do. Are they diet pills? Do they work? How do they make you feel? Will it help you lose weight? How fast should you see results? When is it best to take them? These are many of the questions we get about Thermogenics (AKA Fat Burners).

First, watch this quick video, where Steve explains what thermogenics actually are – and what they do.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/KMTDHuw8XyI]

Now, to answer some of those questions.

Are they diet pills?

Diet pills do different things. Many prescription pills curb your appetitive. There is another prescription that blocks fat from being absorbed and stored. Old school prescription pills often contained amphetamines which now is typically prescribed as dextroamphetamine, or the inactive prodruglisdexamfetamine. Then you have the old school fat burners, which contained Ephedra, in combination with aspirin and caffeine. Since Ephedra is no longer legal in the United States, supplement companies have been working hard to come up with a safer way to burn fat. So, in my opinion, I would not classify a thermogenic as a diet pill. While the fat burner we take, ThermoHeat for example, does have an appetite suppressant in it, it’s main job its to increase your body temperature to burn more calories throughout the day.

Do they work?

Yes, but not if you are depending on a fat burner alone. Fat burners can give you the edge you need to be more apt to move, exercise and stay active. It will increase calorie burn, but you have to understand how easy it is to erase those calories with poor food choices. Let’s say, for example sake, you burn 200 extra calories a day when on a fat burner. You could erase those calories easily with a big gulp coke or an extra snack. For this reason, fat burners work best when you combine it with exercise and diet.

How do they make you feel?

Some fat burners make you feel like you’ve had 10 cups of coffee. The old school fat burners that had ephedra in it really freaked people out. However, I think most fat burners today are more mild feeling in comparison to the Ephedra, caffeine and aspirin variations. People may complain about feeling anxious and jittery on some fat burners. Since I have heart palpitations, I have to watch out for fat burners that get my heart racing. ThermoHeat doesn’t make me feel that way at all. It makes me feel focused and more apt to stay moving, but I don’t feel like I’m on speed or anything. Basically, the answer to this question is “it depends”. Every fat burner is different.

Will it help you lose weight?

Yes. If you are burning more calories than you are consuming, you will lose weight. The key to success is to make the most of the fat-burning opportunity. Exercise when you are feeling energized and avoid replacing calories with poor food choices. However, if you aren’t going to track calories or even try to be in a caloric deficit, you probably will not get the results you want.

How fast should you see results?

How fast you get results depends on how dedicated you are to your weight loss goals. First, you need to know that you should feel results right away. You should feel more energized and more focused pretty quickly. This should help you WANT to workout and stay more active, which can often be an issue for many people. People lack the motivation or the energy to workout. BUT, if you don’t workout and you refuse to be more active, you aren’t going to get all the goody out of your fat burner. If you are taking ThermoHeat, you should also not feel as hungry, which can help with controlling your appetite. So, in many ways, you should be getting results almost immediately. However, if you are talking about seeing results on the scale, that’s a different story. The results you get are dependent on consistency and accuracy. Staying consistent with eating low-calorie foods and exercising will get you faster results. Accurately tracking calories burned and calories consumed will help you get the best results. But if you plan on just guessing your way through the day, I can only guess your results (and I would guess they won’t be what you want).

When is it best to take them?

Personally, I like taking Fat Burners to help give me an edge when I’m taking my training or dieting up a notch. I only take them for a season, and then I go off for a while. For example, I took ThermoHeat to help me prepare for my competition. It REALLY helped me get my 3 workouts in a day (2 cardios and 1 weight training workout) when I was extra low on calories. I honestly don’t think I would have had the oomph to do it without it. It’s also great for people who are starting a workout and diet plan. It can give people the mental and physical boost they need to get in a routine. It also will help increase energy when people would typically experience a loss of energy from just starting a diet and exercise program.

Before I close, let me be super clear. If you want to lose weight, the first thing you need to focus on is diet. You need to learn to track calories and stick to a caloric budget (I like using the LoseIt app for this). Second, you need to get in a good exercise routine. It doesn’t have to be an intense workout everyday, but a consistent workout routine you can stick to. Third, once you are willing to commit to eating right and exercising, THEN you can add supplements to the equation, like protein, creatine, fat burners, etc. Sadly, people often do the exact opposite, because making a protein shake or popping a pill is a lot easier than committing to a lifestyle change. You should never rely on supplements – they are only to SUPPLEMENT what you are missing and enhance what you are already doing. They are the icing on the low-cal cake! As long as you understand that, you are golden. Are they effective? Heck yeah, when they are used correctly! As long as you realize there is no protein shake or fat burner alone that will get you ripped like you see in the ads. Will they help? Absolutely! But, if you want results, you will be required to work for it. But I do promise you it will be SO worth it!!!

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If you are looking for some new unique fitness wear that is high quality and a great flattering cut, you need to check out TLF Apparel. I just discovered them a couple of months ago and I am so impressed with their clothing line.

MY OUTFIT FOR OCTOBER

My latest outfit, in “Hot Coral” (which is a cool orange color), is a winner! I love the cut of the bra top, which is high enough in front that is shows up under most tank tops. This makes it easy and fun to layer clothing to add color and style to any outfit – even my work uniform top (which is my Max tank top here).

THE COLOR

Hot Coral is the name of this color. It’s not pumpkin orange, but it’s definitely orange (and orangier than it appears in this pic). It’s a cool orange with a hint of coral in it. However, it seems to match all my clothes that have electric orange or coral accents. The vibrant color really brightenes up other solids, like black, grey and white. “Hot coral” is great for fall, but bright enough to go all year long. LOVE IT!

BETTER WITH BLING

Both pieces have a really pretty blinged logo which adds a bit of class and “prettiness” to each pice.

STYLE

If you like ORANGE, then here are some TLF pieces I loved…

Casual comfy layer that keeps you cool with this “air-conditioning back”. Love this!

This first grey tank with the orange logo is the tank I got to layer over my orange outfit. It’s a great fit and has a little “dressier” feel than the above tank. This is a great outfit for people who like to look sharp (perfect for trainers and fitness professionals). The Infi-Dry fabric keeps you from looking like a wet rat after a hard workout – and dries fast too.